During the calculation process, heights are obtained from drawing objects and interpolating when necessary. There is also the possibility of cutting break lines even though they have been drawn on the plan. If the Draw in 3D option is activated, the program assigns the height value to each vertex of the point that coincides with it.
The only compulsory operation when entering longitudinal profile data is horizontal alignment selection. If this is not done, the program issues the following message: "ERROR: Horizontal alignment not selected". Additionally, if the digital model is not defined and a layer to cut has not been selected, the “Layers not selected” error occurs. Another possible error consists of not having found objects cutting the horizontal alignment. In this case, the “No intersections found” error message will be displayed.
Once the generation has finalized, the following window will be displayed should it have been impossible to obtain some of the cuts specified. It provides information on any stations whose height information has not been obtained.
Additionally, in the case of generating profiles from a surface, the program will automatically detect the existence of islands or zones with an undefined surface inside the model and that affect the horizontal alignment outline. In such a case, the program will suitably list or draw the profile so as to clearly identify the location of areas with these undefined surfaces.
The file format consists of a line for each longitudinal cut found. The distance to origin (considering the initial station), the height of the terrain at this point, and a remark –which can be “Unique Point”, “Constant Distance”, “Specified Distance”– or the name of the cut’s layer will appear on each line.
Example:DEMO.LON
0.000
152.888
Unique Point
12.049
152.446
10050000
25.232
151.963
10050000
34.837
150.000
20010000
108.468
140.000
20010000
124.500
137.735
Distance Specified
144.079
135.000
20010000
151.677
134.451
11120000
153.921
135.000
20010000
156.594
136.093
Unique Point
166.144
140.000
20010000!
199.857
154.437
10050000!
204.713
154.729
10050000
211.550
160.000
20010000
221.007
164.758
Unique Point
221.487
165.000
20010000
293.591
175.000
20010000
301.020
172.628
10050000
314.621
175.000
20010000
327.384
175.606
Unique Point
On this fragment of a longitudinal profile generated from a digital map drawing, cuts with contour lines (heights with integer values) and with 3D lines (heights with decimals) can be seen, in addition to their layer coding. Unique horizontal alignment points and a distance specified by the user have also been included.
It is also possible to see in this longitudinal profile that the station codes 166.144 and 199.857 have the character “!” added to them, which marks the zones for which no surface information exists for the program.
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